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1897 VFL Newspaper Article

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Matthew2708

Matthew2708

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Found some interesting VFL Articles way back in 1897 about the beginning of the 1897 Season.

"Should the Geelong club be one of the first four after the completion of the 14 rounds, an allowance of £10 will be made to it when visiting Melbourne, and the same to any Melbourne team playing at Geelong."

"The payment fixed for umpires is 25/ per match for the field and 7/6 for goal umpires."

"Any player who has played during season 1896 or plays during season 1897 with any of the clubs at present known as Footscray, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, Richmond or Williamstown, shall not be allowed to play during season 1897 with any of the clubs represented on the League."

Thursday, 4th February 1897= http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9166320?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
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"Should a player willfully waste time, the field umpire shall instruct the time-keepers to add such time on, and besides, award a free kick to the opposing player nearest to the spot where the offence takes place. The offending player, or players, shall be reported to the league, which shall deal with the matter."

"In running with the ball the player is required to bounce it every ten yards, instead of seven as formerly".

Friday, 12th March 1897=
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9187855?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
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http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9164382?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
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The league matches fixture for Round 1.

Saturday, 8th May 1897 = http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9171820?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

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Page 1 on a report of the League's Games = Round 1.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9190321/307618?searchTerm=vfl football#pstart307618

Page 2 on a report of the League's Games - Round 2. Including the Ladder and the results.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9190321/307620?searchTerm=vfl football#pstart307620
 
Fascinating reports there at the bottom. Just a little way into the first one and a description of the game in 1897 after the VFL had removed the push in the back rule:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9190321/307618?searchTerm=vfl football#pstart307618
One new feature, however, universally condemned on Saturday, was the re-established right of a player to push another from behind. Such a prac- tice always works for the shirker as against theFix this text plucky man, who throws himself into the game heart and soul, and this cowardly feature will need early modification. The league has gone from one extreme to the other, for, through the absurdity of giving a mark against a player who simply placed his hands on an opponent's shoulder was suffi- ciently manifest last year, the effort to reform the abuse has created a greater evil.
Click to expand...
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9190321/307618?searchTerm=vfl football#pstart307618

Seems they had a 'hands in the back' rule in 1896!
 

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Munga said:
That's awesome!

'St Kilda will make an alteration to their colours to avoid clashing with Essendon'

what's new!
Click to expand...

We used to wear red and black socks just like modern day Essendon. I'm positive that's why we didn't win a game for 3 years. :D:(
 
 
Subprime said:
Love the guy bemoaning how the game has become soft, due to rule changes, his ancestor is a BF account holder no doubt.:p

"At least, it was a dangerous game in our young days; "mais nous avons change tout cela."

Though still manly, it has become a decourous and to a certain extent tame pastime.
Click to expand...

Oh man, the 1897 version of that one guy at the footy we all know of who keeps shouting "kick it up the guts, pressure 'em you duds". No matter who is playing or what the score is.
 
"Should the Geelong club be one of the first four after the completion of the 14 rounds, an allowance of £10 will be made to it when visiting Melbourne, and the same to any Melbourne team playing at Geelong."

The League seemed to Geelong to have reneged on this when originally no final was scheduled to be played in Geelong. Only after threatening to leave the League, was Geelong given a home final. As it was they didn't take full opportunity of what turned out to be a once only occasion. They lost to Essendon by 6 points on their home ground at Corio Oval which ultimately cost them winning the inaugural League Premiership.

Although winning both their other two finals played in Melbourne in 1897, thereafter traveling to Melbourne for finals became somewhat of a problem, as the lost 7 consecutive finals matches in Melbourne before winning the 1925 Grand Final.

To Matthew - keep up the good work - who knows what you may unearth.
Its only since Newspaper archives have been online has it been possible to search for key-words which may turn up stuff missed by previous researches.

If you have not seen them here is a link to a couple of articles resulting from my troving.
 

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From the Letters to the Editor:

"The state of the VFL fixture is an absolute abomination, with a clear agenda by the League to award Collingwood an easier path through the season than their rivals. This is apparently based on the notion that they attract more interest to the League and that this is of greater import than the establishment of a fair and equitable contest. I am most vexed."
 
1907 - How footballers trained.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10640366?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


Some articles based on how some players were disqualified for the season.

Another article about University's application to join the league, which was successful.


Richmond's first match May 1908.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10678554?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

A report on Richmond's first game in 1908.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10678548?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
 
great get guys, that trove is a fantastic site.

RogersResults said:
The League seemed to Geelong to have reneged on this when originally no final was scheduled to be played in Geelong. Only after threatening to leave the League, was Geelong given a home final. As it was they didn't take full opportunity of what turned out to be a once only occasion. They lost to Essendon by 6 points on their home ground at Corio Oval which ultimately cost them winning the inaugural League Premiership.
Click to expand...

wow didn't realise that geelong had never hosted finals (or very very few) in the history of the VFL/AFL. thought that was only a recent thing since the abandonment of suburban grounds.
 

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Illinois Nazi said:
From the Letters to the Editor:

"The state of the VFL fixture is an absolute abomination, with a clear agenda by the League to award Collingwood an easier path through the season than their rivals. This is apparently based on the notion that they attract more interest to the League and that this is of greater import than the establishment of a fair and equitable contest. I am most vexed."
Click to expand...


Oh how things have changed..:rolleyes:
 
Matthew2708 said:
1915 = A player hits another player on the field, the crowd becomes angry and everyone runs on to the field.
About 2,000 people.
At the same time, another player strucks his opponent and knocks him out.
It happened at the MCG.
Game was stopped for around 15 minutes.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1546788?searchTerm=vfl football&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
Click to expand...

An infamous incident. Always interesting to see articles revealing how in the past there was more 'law and order'. Len Incignari, the Melbourne player reported got 8 weeks. There seems to have been a co-relation between violence on and around football ovals during and in the time after both world wars.

I wonder if the events of this match contributed to Melbourne's withdrawal from the League for three years?
 
RogersResults said:
An infamous incident. Always interesting to see articles revealing how in the past there was more 'law and order'. Len Incignari, the Melbourne player reported got 8 weeks. There seems to have been a co-relation between violence on and around football ovals during and in the time after both world wars.

I wonder if the events of this match contributed to Melbourne's withdrawal from the League for three years?
Click to expand...

Nah, don't think so. I found so many articles about the war conflicting with the VFL at that stage. 1914-1918.

1914 - World War 1 Starts
1914 - University leaves at the end of the year.
1915 - 9 teams.
1916 - 4 teams.
1917 - 6 teams.
1918 - 8 teams.
1918 - World War 1 Ends
1919 - 9 teams.
 

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